Well, this came as a surprise.

Tigers utility man Neifi Perez was suspended 25 games for using a performance-enhancing stimulant. He is only the second player to be suspended this year, after Juan Salas of the D-Rays got a 50-game suspension.

Rob Neyer blogged one of the more hilarious things I have ever read about the incident:

What exactly do you say about a player who needs a stimulant to bat .172? Should we analyze the impact his absence will have on the Tigers’ pennant chances? (Nonexistent.) Should we wonder if Perez would be hitting even worse without the greenies? (Impossible.) Should we wonder why the Tigers traded for him in August 2006, while knowing they’d be on the hook for $2.5 million this year? (Pointless.)

On a Dominican radio program, Perez said: “I say to my fans that I am not stupid. I know the difference between good and bad and there are things that are going to be known going forward, but my lawyer has advised me not to talk for now.”

Probably a good idea.

As South Park’s Mr. Mackey would say: Drugs are bad, mmmkay?

Just, out.

While all the attention is being put on the 13.5-games-back Yankees as they face the Red Sox tonight at 8 on ESPN, your focus may be better served on the finale of the Tigers/Indians series.

The two teams have developed a little rivalry of late and will be slugging it out for AL Central dominance all year long.

Detroit has only managed to take one game from the Indians this season, but today’s battle of the Jeremys is in the Tiger’s favor.

Jeremy Bonderman (4-0, 3.34) will face off against Jeremy Sowers (1-5, 6.29), whose spot in the rotation is increasingly in question.

Ought to be a fun game.

Just, out.

Who are we? The Wildcats! Who we gonna beat? The Wildcats! (AP Photo)

No. They aren’t.

I’m not sure why so many people think they are. In Joe Morgan’s ESPN Chat Wrap today, this question was posed and answered:

Mike (Fire Millen): Great interview with Shef on Sunday night! How far can he lead the Tigers this season?

Joe Morgan: I think the Tigers have as good a chance as anyone to defend their AL championship. They’ll be a better team at the end of this season than they were last year. A big reason is Sheffield, but another reason is the young pitchers have matured and will be better. Right now, they’ve got Zumaya on the DL, Rogers is out, Bonderman had to miss a start, etc. If they’re as healthy in Sept. as they were last year, they’ll be great. Boston is the team to beat right now, though. Boston’s pitching has been the best.

Joe Morgan: But I’m still not as convinced their offense is as good as it should be.

Ignoring the fact that he thinks Detroit will be a better team at the end of this season despite the injuries he laid out, how can he (or anyone) justify that the Tigers are the team to beat?

Joe Morgan isn’t the only one. Jim Molony argued the Tigers would get second in the AL Central but said they’d be a better team than they were last year.

The Tigers won 95 games last year and finished a game out of first. They also finished the season on a five-game losing streak, which cost them the division. Even so, Read the rest of this entry »